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Michael Vick? Chargers just say no.

August 5, 2009 | 10:23
pm

Count the San Diego Chargers among the growing list of NFL teams that have said they have no intention of signing disgraced quarterback Michael Vick, recently granted conditional reinstatement by Commissioner Roger Goodell.

"Some head coaches and GMs would talk about it, but for what?" Chargers General Manager A.J. Smith told The Times. "I don't know why you'd want to fool with it."

Smith did say, however, that it would actually be easier to squeeze Vick onto a roster than a player at another position, because on game day he could be designated the emergency third quarterback, who does not count as part of the 45-man roster on game day.

"You could put him in the third spot; it's an open roster," he said. "If you want to put another guy in another place, you're cutting a guy. But because he's a quarterback, if you want you could literally get rid of your third guy and give (Vick) your third spot, and you've still got one and two. And you've got a whole season to find out whether he's in shape, whether he stays straight, whether he can come back, get his strength, get his legs. You're really watching him. And you can implement a Wildcat package, see how that goes, and then get him ready for the following year."

Smith said he can see someone in the league presenting that idea to an owner, but added, "I can't see him at (a No. 2 quarterback) and we know for a fact that he's not anybody's one, because he's out of football."

As for the Chargers, Smith said: "Let me just put it this way: If his agent calls, we have three quarterbacks here and we're set at the position. We don't have any spot for him here."

Asked if the team might create a spot if one of those quarterbacks were not available, Smith said no.